Vacuuming With a robot hoover (click to read) is the Best Hands-Off Model We've Tested

This top-quality bot from Eufy is the most hands-free model we've tested to date. It vacuums, mops and self-empties and drys mop pads all without your intervention.

It isn't equipped with advanced cleaning modes and a larger docking station but delivers a impressive performance at a fraction of the cost of premium robot vacuums. It is compact in design and is able to reach under furniture.

Vacuuming

Vacuuming with a robot hoover is a simple, quick method to keep your floors looking and feeling clean. A lot of the models we've chosen are designed to run on their own without any involvement from you, so you can set them up to clean while you're out or start an appointment from your phone. You'll need to choose one that has excellent navigation and object detection in order to avoid getting stuck under furniture or down the stairs.

It is crucial to select a robot vacuum that can effectively and efficiently clean all types of flooring. Look for a robot with an enormous dust bin that can hold a lot of dirt between emptying and a nozzle that does not lose suction when it rotates.

Most robots require little to any maintenance, other than removing tangled hair from the rotating brush (and wiping down its cameras or sensors when needed) after every cleaning session, and then emptying the dustbin or a self-emptying base if the robot has one. If you follow these easy maintenance steps, your robot vacuum will last as long as full-size vacuums and keep your home cleaner for longer.

While robot mops are generally less flexible than their vacuum counterparts, some have the added ability to suck up spills and puddles while they're doing their thing. The iLife V3s Pro, a good example of this type of machine, is a fantastic choice for people with carpets and rugs or wood flooring. It is quiet and has good navigation capabilities, which allowed it to avoid obstacles during testing. The charging dock also doubles as trash bin.

To get the best results, pick an appliance that can do mopping and vacuuming at the same time. That's exactly what the Karcher RCV 5 can do, and it also offers other handy features like live cameras that stream an unreliable image to your app so that you can monitor your children or pets and also a remote control that is easily programmed. The navigation isn't as robust as other models in our collection however it is able to lift its own thresholds to a certain level and has an ample 500ml trash bin that doesn't have to be cleaned frequently.

Mopping

Robots that vacuum and mop are relatively new to the market. They are more expensive and require an additional tank of water than standalone robots. However, they could be worth the cost for those with hard-to-clean stains clean or pets.

The best robot vacuum cleaner robots that mop and vacuum also do a great job cleaning robot price floors with no carpets. There are a number of brands that offer all-in-one machines that can do both tasks with ease. The Combo J9+, as an example, is among the top mopping robots we've tested. It has an impressively large dock that can hold up to 60 days of dirt. This is a huge improvement over the Qrevo Pro, which ran out of water after mopping only 30 days' worth of dirt in our tests.

The Tapo RV30 Plus from networking giant TP Link is a great two-in-one. It's compact quiet and has an elegant, easy-to-use look. In our test rooms, it cleaned the floors efficiently and thoroughly - it was particularly good at cleaning rugs, however it took several runs to clean some areas of stained wood. Its LIDAR navigation works well as well. It is able to avoid hitting furniture and running over power cables.

It's a little slow on the stairs, but that's expected from a compact robot that is designed to work around obstacles. The only drawback is its mopping pad attachment, that was difficult to use to hold in place during our tests. It is also not capable of dealing with dust that has dried on, making it more like a vacuum than a robot mop.

It's still a great choice for those who prefer a hands-off experience and want to clean low pile or bare carpets equally well. It has a decent amount of suction, which has helped to pick up fine dust and pet hair from carpets. One of the best features is its automatic hoover robot carpet recognition, which increases the strength of the vacuuming to better tackle embedded dirt. It's easy to use, and the charging dock automatically emptyes the dustbin when it is full. This is a great feature for those who live in apartments.

Cleaning Apps

Most robot vacuums, mops and sweepers come with an application that lets you modify cleaning routines. You can also choose rooms to be cleaned, plan cleaning sessions, and alter settings like suction levels, the amount of water and scrubbing power. Some robots provide intelligent dirt detection that utilizes maps and previous cleaning data to prioritize dirty areas.

A smartphone app can also allow you to create virtual barriers and no-go zones to shield your robot from potentially hazardous items, such as cords or pet water bowls and sharp objects. Certain models have laser navigation sensors that permit you to create virtual barriers while others come with small physical barriers and boundary strips that can be put anywhere you wish to restrict your floor space.

There are still risks to be aware of, even though the top robot vacuums can recognize and navigate around obstacles. For instance, the main brush could get stuck in long curtains or cords and stop the machine dead in its tracks. You can prevent this by clearing the area of any cords and tie up any curtains that are long before operating your robot.

Some robots automatically update their software which manages navigation and obstacle avoidance algorithm. This improves performance and reduces the wear and tear of the robot's internal parts. It's a good idea periodically to check the manufacturer's site or your robot's application for updates to the firmware.

If you have a huge house, consider a model with multiple cleaning modes. The iRobot Roomba 11S Max, for instance, can mop and vacuum on both hard floors and carpeted rooms that have different suction levels. It can also switch automatically to the highest power setting when cleaning carpets, and boost the strength of its scrubbing by using SmartScrub.

A robot that has a voice assistant is a great choice when you want to keep your hands-free. The iRobot Roomba 980 can be operated by Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. It has a small self-emptying docking system and a powerful cleaning motor that leaves your floors sparkling.